The period after the Civil War was a
time of great transition – and innovation – in
the United States. This timeline shows the progression of
the statue – from idea to reality – against the
back-drop of contemporary events.

Statue Timeline

Contemporary Events

1865:

At dinner party, Edouard Laboulaye, chairman
of French anti-slavery society, proposes monument to
liberty and U.S. independence in centennial year
(1876); sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi attends.

Bartholdi begins constructing statue,
completes hand and torch, sent to U.S. for display at
Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia (August 14); Bartholdi
returns to U.S. May 6; hand and torch shipped to.
New York, displayed at Madison Square.

Rutherford Hayes becomes U.S. president;
Queen Victoria proclaimed Empress of India; Henry James,
"The American"; Thomas Edison invents the
phonograph; first public telephones in use in U.S.;
Russia declares war on Turkey.

1878:

Statue's head and shoulders completed,
displayed for first time at Paris Universal Exposition;
French fundraising continues.

Treaty of Berlin; Thomas Hardy, "The
Return of the Native"; Gilbert and Sullivan compose
"H.M.S. Pinafore"; Salvation Army takes current
name.

Edouard Laboulaye dies; Ferdinand de
Lesseps chairs the Union; French poet Victor Hugo visits
the statue, praises its "idea"; statue's arm
and torch returned from New York; U.S. fundraising languishes.

Statue's assembly continues in Paris;
work begins on foundation of pedestal on Bedloe's Island,
designed by R. M. Hunt and supervised by General Charles
Pomeroy Stone; Joseph Pulitzer purchases New York World
newspaper.

Statue completed, formally handed over
to U.S. ownership in Paris, accepted by Ambassador Morton;
(July 4); first stone laid for pedestal on Bedloe's
Island; U.S. fundraising languishes; New York governor.
Grover Cleveland vetoes $50,000 state appropriation.